Trip valve



Dec, 9, 1924.

P. w. KNAUF TRIP VALVE Filed Aug. 1v, '1922 lw m y AEURNEY' Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNiTEo STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

AYPAI'J'L W. KNAUF, OF CYNWYD, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR TO SCI-IUTTE AND KOERT- ING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

TRIP VALVE.

Application led August 17, v1922. .Serial No. 582,394.

To a-ZZ whom t may] concern:

Be it known that l, PAUL W. Knaur, a `citif/.en .of the United States, and a resident ot' -Cynwyd, in `the county ot Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in yTrip Valves, of which the `following isa specification.

lMy invention relates broadly to trip valves ot a character to be employed in .connection with turbine or other engines and which are adapted to be tripped under certain conditions, as in vcase ot over-speed, to close the steam supply line leading to the engine, but more particularly to construc- -tions of alcharacter in which Vthe valve, when tripped, is adapted to be closed bythe action of a strong spring.

- The general object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel construction of means tor facilitating the operation ot Ithe said valve either to open or close the same.

A more specific Object ot the invention is to provide a novel construction ot means whereby the portion of the valve rod which enters the valve casing and which is connected with the valve need not be rotated during the time when the said spring is being compressed or when the valve is being opened. By thus avoidingthe rotation of the portion of Ithe valve rod within. the valve casing .in the presence of steam at a yhigh degree of temperature the wearing and cut- .ting of the valve rod and ot portions with which the latter contacts are to a large eX- tent, it not entirely, avoided.

Another object ot the invention is to provide a. novel construction of means whereby an oil dash pot for controlling the speed of the closing movement of the valve may-be situated remotely with respect tothe valve :casing whereby the oil within the chamber ofthe said dash pot is unaffected by the heat Jfrom the said valve casing.

Other .objects and advantages ot the in.- vention `wil-l be pointed out in .the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent from such description.

ln' order that the invention may :be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated., reference may be had to ythe accompanying .drawing in Which one -r'form ot .mechanical embodiment thereof is shown. However, it is to be understood that theinvention. `is .susceptible oft embodiment in other forms oi' construction than that shown, and that changes in the details ot' construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing trom the said invention.

1n the drawing:

Fig. k1 is a view in vertical longitudinal. section of a trip valv-e construction embody ing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ot Fig. 1;

IFig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to the plane in which Fig. 1 is taken and showing a detail ot construction; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing: 1 designates a valve casing the opposite ends ot which arc danged, whereby said casing is adapted for attachment to the flanged ends ot' sections ot :pipe (not shown) constituting the steam supply line for supplying steam to a turbine or other engine.

2 designates a valve structure which is adapted to co-operate with a seat 3 surrounding an opening through an angular partition plate 4 extending across the valve casing 1. The valve 2 is provided with a stem 5 vthe lower headed end of which is guided within a cylindrical projection 6 extending upwardly from the lower side ot' the valve casing. The space within the cylindrical projection 6 underneath the lower end of the stem 5 is adapted to be drained through an opening 8 adapted to have connection with a pipe, which is not shown.

The upper end portionvot the valve 2 is of inverted substantially cone-shape, as shown, and is provided with a seat 10 with which a Vpilot valve 11 co-operates. The pilot valve is secured to the lower end of `the part 12 ot atwo-part valve actuating rod which will be referred to more in detail later on. The movement ot the pilot valve 11 relatively to the valve 2 is limited bv the plate 15 which is secured to lugs or `projections 16 upon the inner side of the inverted cone-shaped p0rtion ot the valve. The upper end Aportion ot the valve 2 projects upwardly into the open lower end-ot a cylinder 17 which cylinder,

`and the. ring .18 overlying a lateral flange upon the same, are held in position upon the valve casing 1 by nuts 19 upon screw thread- :ed bolts20 as shown. The part l2 ofthe Ihn lll)

valve actuating rod passes upwardly through an opening in the closed end of the cylinder 1 7. The said part 12 is surrounded by a suitable paclring, as indicated at 22.

lhen the valve is in closed position, as indicated in the drawing? the space aboi'e the same and within the cylinder 1"? becomes filled with steam which leaks past the valve and also enters through controllable openings 23, one or more oit which may be provided.

The valve construction as above described is not novel with me but it has been deemed necessary to show the same in order to eX-` plain fully and properly my invention and the manner of its use and operation.

Extending upwardly from the valve casing are the oppositely disposed substantially parallel supporting members and 31 each provided with a guide 32 upon its inner side. The tripping and other mechanism constituting my invention are supported upon these members 30 and 31. 35 designates a hollow casing, the lower end of which is secured. to and supported upon an annular head-like portion 36 upon the upper ends 'of the members 30 and 31. A guiding tubular member 37 is situated concentrically of the casing and projects upwardly thereinto. The lower end of the said tubular member is provided with a ilange 3S the outer edge portion oit which extends into a groove between the lower end ofthe casing 35 and the upper inner edge portion of the head-like member 36. rl`he said fiange is clamped between these parts and thereby held in position. A relatively long sleevelileV member 40 extends upwardly through the guiding tubular member 37, iitting the upper and lower end portions thereof somewhat closely as indicated, but being spaced from the intermediate portions thereof. The lower end of thev sleeve-like member 40 is internally screw threaded and is in engagement with the screw thrf-aded lower end portion oi' the part 41 ot' the valve actuating rod, the remaining part ot said rod being designated by the reference number 12. These two parts, 12 and 41, are connected together by means of the two-part connecting member 42 which parts are secured together by means of screw threaded bolts 43, The part 41 is rotatable with respect to the part 12. The connecting member 42 is hollow and incloses a head 45 preferably integrally connected with the lower end of the part 41. Interposed between the head 45 and the upper end oi the chamber within the member 42 within which said head is situated is a two-part metallic bearing ring or washer 47 ,preferably of bronze. The upper end of the part 12 of the valve actuating rod has screw threaded engagement with a tapped opening in the lower end ot the two-part member 42 and in order to secure the said member 42 to the member 12 so as to prevent relative rotation between the two when once connected a binding screw '50 is provided, as shown in Fig. 1. Metal thrust washers 51 are provided within the chamber of the member 42 intermediate the adjacent opposing ends of the parts 12 and 41. The opposing contacting surfaces of these washers are convex as shown. Both of the parts ot the connecting member 42 are provided with outwardly extending flat projections or arms 53 the outer ends of which are in engagement with the guides 32 previously ref erred to. The tact that the part 41 may be rotated relatively to the part 12 is important because it enables actuation and operation ot the valve to open and close the same without the necessity of turning the part 120ic the valve actuating rod which extends into the valve casing 1. It it were necessary to turn the part 120i the valve rod within the valve casing in the presence of steam at a high temperature the contactingrelativdy rotating parts would be cut and thereby iiijured because these parts cannot be lubricated.

The tubular guiding member 37 projects upwardly into an inverted hollow member which is adapted to slide up and down thereon. The relatively long sleeve-like member 40 extends upwardly through the tubular guiding member 37 and its upper end is situated in a depression or seat 62 inl the inner side of the top ot the member 60. The member 60 is provided with openings 63 so that the interior thereof is in coinmunication with the interior of the casing;v 35. A coiled compression spring 66 is situated within the casing 35 and its lower ond rests upon ring washers which in turn rest upon a iiange 64 which extends outwardly from the lower end ot the member 60. By increasing or diminishing thenumber ot the washers 65 the tension of the spring 66 may be increased or diminished, rlhe upper end of the said spring contactsy with the lower side ot the top of the casing 35. The flange 64 is provided with relatively small openings 6? through which a v retarding and cushioning liquid, such as oil,

is adapted to pass Jfrom one side to the other of the said flange. The` liquid below the member 60 acts as a cushion to pre-vent too rapid descent of the valve after it has been tripped in the manner to be hereinafter de scribed. The speed of descent depends upon the size of the said openings and the strength oit the spring 66. The said retarding liquid is adapted to be inserted into the casing 35 through an opening .70.

The relatively long sleeve-like member 40 is provided adjacent its lower end with lateral projections 71 having holes therein which extend in directions transversely oif the length of the said sleevedke member 4o lli) into which errtendtheeredllfed epd portions 72 ot short-serewthreaded bolts .7.3 lia-ving screw threaded;engagementwith ilthe. opposite sides of a e`two-,armed -lever I74. l'The outer or fright' hand end i of said-@lever yis `piv- 'otally .connected lov-means otra pin or :holt 75 f to y'gthe lower endq'o'f .a i .link .7G pivotally oonnefied lati-lits upper ,end .by ymeans ot' 'f a pin 77 ato-rearwar dly V extending!y enlargements vor bracket-like portions upon fthefupper ends-of-tlreupantsdand 3l. ,lihe inner ends of the opgpositefsidesfotthe seid dover convergenucleare ,joined 'together as indicated .2113180 fin g2 of'the .drawing to vk'torfm ya narrow portion -laseshown .which is .slloulderedtm 'form fan ...engaging portion :8l lvvhiehzis adaptedito .be-,engaged gby :a- :shtml- ,der 32 upenthe depending .ia-rm `.of va bell crank lever 83. ilileother arm of which extends outwardly l`andghas connection ,with Vthel lower- -end .,aoffafrod-t. :the opposite lend of which isf/headed end projects intothe lower endA offfa; .hollow -piston .85. :coiled yS13-ritiro;6surrounds.thetrod 84 andone end thereof -is* seated-against a nut .87 uipon `:the

lseid rod 84, ,whilethe opposite. end thereoil is seatedv against .the outerilower ,end .oft .the hollow piston 85. Thesaid piston extends into a `ehamloerfl and is provided with a rflange 'f90 `which -lits l\ c loselv ibut '.movablv within the. said .chamber .88. ,A pipe 9]. communicates at one .end .withthe l-lovrer end portionofgt-he chamber. 88 ,and at 'its opposite end with therintake side ,ol.,the valve easing. .as indieated. yThe steam passes A'li-rom the valveesing through. .the-pipe 91 l to .the .lower-.end yotthe ,ehamberSS and there is usually v.sufficient leakage to permit the -Asteam ,to .pass around .the ,upper .end ofthe :trip piston .90 intoV .the ,upper portion oli 4the .ohamherr88 .butin order ,to -aeilitate thel passa-ge r.ofthe steam vtof'the upper vside ot the said piston .a hleed'lholel is:providedA` vasshown. It .willlae seen that nominally the 7 .steam ,occupiestheehamfberf 0.1.1 both sides .of .the flange .9,0 `of the trip piston. A pme .94 leads ITQIILLhe.QhamloerfSSgabove the trip .piston `90 fand Vmeans (not shown) is provided .for closing saidpipefxvhieh is :adapt- .ed .to bepened in ease of emergency, such es overspeed ,otra turbine., tofk permitesrape .of steem..tln-ougrhtliepipe Q94 from said `chamber. .Upon ,release Aof ysteampressure .in fthe upper y.side ,of ,the Chamber 88 abovV the piston ,90 :they-steam. Apressure upon the ,Lm-der .side .o fsaidpiston A uses quick upzwar-.d `movement tli{neo-t and upon .the Contact of its lower end with the heed upon the upper end oftheiiodfl the latter nis moved quickly fuypwva ly @to eifect ,f pivogtal, more ment` .of .the .be11 ..crerik .leveli-S. .t0 .disegnare .the Shoulder 8.2. from the oontactrporton 8l upon .the-lever7 1P untel movement of the lever. .toi-Yerd-gtlie 1 ft 'S sli. 'ited b 'y the lgegleett fof the '.Stieul l @159i .thereon with the .stationary stop 98 -while n'iovement ,in the vopposite direction '1s limited by the engagementof the upperside of the outwardly .ar1n of the said lever with/the lower end 'oi" the saidstop.

.the valve actuating` rod is turned toward thefle'ftg that is, in counterclorkwise 'dir ertion, fbylmeans of the .wheel ..99 which is seeured ,toa lrotatablesleeve l0() secured .within;a bearingrlOlat the upper end of'the oas- V ing35- 'I liesaid wheel is connected tow'the sleevelOO by Vmeans of aV key -102andj;tlie

sleeve is in turn connected to the partll of the valveaetuating rod b v .meansof aspline or feather 103. Such connection permits slidingv movement. of the part 41 with respeet to the sleeve 100 simultaneously with its rotation.

Uponrotation of the part #ll toward .the left as. already stated, the first action is to open the pilot valve l1 so as to permit steam to pass to `the under or opposite side ofthe valve. This` having been done it will be understood that further opening` movement of the valve is etfected against the Weight ot the valve. plus a Certain amount of :steam pressure,4 the amount of such steam pressure being about one-lifteenth (l/lth) of the working pressure of the same. The valve is .fully opened when the. two-part .coupling 4 2` is in Contact with the .lower end of the sleeve-like member 40. As the valve .epproaehes its open position theupper end of a spring lO5, coiled around the'part l2, Contacts with the under side of the top ot the cylinder 1T and is compressed between the same and the plate l5 previously referred to. The presence .of such .spring causes the pilot. valve l1 to engage and remain in Contact. with the under side .of the plate l5 during the time or period that the valve is in open position. By thus. holding the ,pilot valve in Contact with the plate l5 chattering ie prevented. `Without the j yreseneeof such spring' there would he rela-- tive vibrato@7 .movement between the pilot valve and the main valve, when the latter is in open position` `which would be objectionable.

Assuming that the valve is in open posi- .tion and that the lever 88 has been tripped to `release the lever 74, the valve is quiekly closed under .the influence of its` own weight .and of the spring 66. When thus 4moved into Closed vposition the lever 74 will vpass to thepostion mflicated'hy the dla-:Sh end dot lll() lines in Fig. 1. The lirst thing to be done in the operation of opening the valve .is to turn the part 11, which turns independently of the part 12, toward the right so as to return the lever 74 into the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Such opn eration does not affect either the pilot or the main valve. During such operation it is only necessary to overcome the pressure exerted b-y the coiled spring 66. rl`he valve is thereafter opened by turning the part 4:1 in the opposite direction as before described. It will be seen, therefore, that the provision of a tivo-part valve actuating rod is ofimportance because it avoids the necessity of compressing the spring 66 and at the same time lifting the valve, and such structure also avoids the necessity of rotating the part 12 against the pressure exerted thereon and upon any parts connected to and moving therewith by the steam within the valve casing.

It will thus be seen that by my invention I have provided a construction b y means of which the operation of the valve is greatly facilitated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a trip valve structure, the combina.- tion of a valve casing, a valve therein, a twopart valve actuating rod which parts are connected together, one oi which is nonrotatable and extends into the said valve casing and is connected to the said valve and the other of which parts is rotatable, a casing situated a distance from said valve casing and through which the rotatable part of saidvalve actuating rod extends, tripping means situated exteriorly of and between the said valve casing and the second named casing which is adapted to hold the said valve and valve actuating rod in open position, means for releasing said tripping means, and means situated intermediate said second named casing and the said valve actuating rod for effective movement thereof i to close the said valve upon release of the said tripping means.

2. In a trip valve structure, the combination of a valve casing, a valve therein, a twopart valve actuating rod one of which parts is non-rotatable and extends into the said casing and is connected to said valve and the other of which parts is rotatable, a casing situated a distance from the said valve casing and through which the rotatable part of said rod extends, tripping` means situated intermediate the said valve casing and the second named casing which means comprises a lever having pivotal and adjustable connection intermediate its ends with the rotatable part of said valve actuating rod, a linl depending from the said second named casing to the swinging end of which one end oi the said lever is connected, and a pivotcatch which is adapted to .engage the other end of said lever, the said `tripping means being adapted to hold the said valve and valve actuating rod in open position and the said catch being adapted to disengagetrom the said lever to release the saidy tripping means, and a spring intermediate the said second named casing and the said valve actuating rod for causing movement of the latter to close the said valve upon releaseot said tripping means.

In a trip valve structure, the combination orn a valve casing, a valve therein, a two-part valve actuating rod one of which parts is non-rotatable and extends into the said casing and is connected to said valve and the other of which parts is rotatable, a casingv situated a, distance from the said valve casingand through which the rotatable part of said rod extends, tripping means situated intermediatethe said valve casing and the second named casing which means comprises a lever having pivotal and4adinstable connection intermediate its ends with the rotatable part of said valve actuating rod, a link depending from the said second named casing` to the swinging end ot which one end of the said lever is connected and a pivot catch which is adapted to engage the otherend of said lever, the said tripping means being adapted tov hold the said valve and valve actuating rod in open position and the, said catch being adapted to disengage from the said lever to release the said tripping means, a spring situated intermediate the said Second named casing and the said valve actuating rod tor effectingmovement of the latter to close the said valve upon release of the said tripping means, and means for retarding the closing movement of said valve actuating rod.

4. In a trip valve structure, the combination of a valve, a two-part actuating rod having connection with said valve, which parts arev connected together and are relatively rotatable, a tripping device comprising a lever having adjustable connection with one of the parts of the said rod, means operating to close the said valve when the said tripping device is rel-eased, means for adjusting the said lever with respect to the said part for resetting the ltripping device and for simultaneously placing the said iirst mentioned means in condition for effecting closure of said valve upon release of said tripping device and yfor thereafter opening said valve.

5. In a trip valve structure, the combination of a valve, a two-part rod having connection with said valve .for actuatingvthe same, one of said parts being rotatable relatively to the other, a tubular member having adjustable connection with the rotatable part of said actuating rod,'a tripping device comprising a catch and a lever having pivotal connection with the said tubular member, a casing into which the said tubular member projects and through which one oi' the parts of the said actuating rod extends, a hollow member within the said Casing having a closed end through which the said part of the actuating rod extends and against the closed end of Which the said tubular member contacts, a coiled spring surround ing the said hollow member and bearing at one end against a portion integral with said hollow member and at its other end against the upper end of said casing, the said tubular member being adapted to be moved inwardly of said casing upon rotation of the Said part of the actuating rod in one direction to engage the said lever with the catch of the said tripping device vand to compress the said spring, and the said rod upon rotation in the opposite direction being moved longitudinally to eillect opening movement of the said valve.

(i. in a trip .valve structure, the combination of a valve having a two-part actuating rod connected therewith, one of which parts is rotatable with respect to the other, a tubular part having screw threaded engagement with one of said parts, a tripping del vice comprising a movable catch and a lever,

one end of which is adapted to engage said catch and the opposite end of which is pivotally supported upon a swinging pivot, and which lever is pivotally connected intermediate its ends with the said tubular member, a casing into which the said tubular member projects and through which the said actuating rod extends, a hollow member within said casing having a closed end against which the said tubular member is in contact, and the said hollow member having a flange at its lower edge, a sprin situated within said casing and coiled aroun said hollow member and seated at its lower end upon the said flange and upon its upper end against the top of said casing, and means for rotating the rotatable part of the said valve actuating rod in either direction, rotation of the same in one direction effecting upward movement of the said tubular member to engage the said lever with the said catch and to compress the said spring, and rotation in the opposite direction effecting longitudinal movement of the valve actuating rod to open the said valve.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 14th day of August, A. D. 1922.

PAUL W. KNAUF. 

